Macular Degeneration
What is AMD?
Age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ) is an aging disease of the center of the retina at the back of the eye. This region of the retina is called the macula. Since this is the area of sharpest vision, AMD can cause blurring, distortion or even complete loss of the central vision. Barring the presence of other eye diseases, such as glaucoma, AMD patients will maintain their peripheral or side vision.
Wet and Dry AMD
There are two types of AMD – wet and dry.
Dry AMD is generally considered to be the milder variety and can slowly progress or worsen as the patient gets older. There is some evidence that taking a multivitamin a day can slow down the progression of dry AMD. Always consult with your primary care doctor before staring vitamin therapy.
Wet AMD is usually more serious and rapidly progressive. It occurs when new, abnormal blood vessels grow under the retina. These vessels may leak blood or other fluids, causing scarring of the macula. You lose vision faster with wet AMD than with dry AMD. Wet AMD can be treated with injections into the eye by a retinal specialist.